Located in central Auckland, the scenic Albert Park is surrounded by Kitchener Street, Bowen Avenue, Princes Street and Wellesley Street East. On entering the park, visitors can walk along the sealed footpaths which lead you to a sprawling flat area at the summit, which is graced by a fountain encircled by flower gardens.
A bandstand can be seen to the south of the cast iron fountain whilst Queen Victoria’s bronze statue is to its north. At the Princes Street exit stands a unique floral clock. Among the special memorials and artworks in the park are a statue of Sir George Grey and the marble Boer War memorial, images of which appear in various pictures of the park printed as postcards.
The site of an ancient volcano lies beside the park and also beneath the site are a series of tunnels built back in 1941. However, the tunnels were eventually sealed up following the end of World War II. The park’s site initially served as a defence post once the Albert Barracks were created.
There are two muzzle-loading guns which date back 1879 also on display. They are said to have been brought here to protect the harbour, although they had to be buried for a while before being unearthed in 1977. When it comes to statues, the Reed statue serving as a monument to a popular local journalist and the Boyd statue erected back in 1900 are of interest. The marble statue of a soldier near the flagstaff is said to have consisted of a drinking fountain back in the day.
A small museum of memorabilia is located at one corner of the park whilst on the other side are the Auckland City Art Gallery and gardens. The Victorian fountain, tall trees, formal flower beds and the range of statues and memorials all add to the park’s distinctive allure.
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Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.
